Surrender
by piper maru duchovny
Summary: Sometimes you just have to stop fighting for what you think is right and surrender to what has been there all along. - a season 5 AU. Lucas/Haley.
1. Chapter 1

**The idea for this story has been in my head since my first watching of season 5 but it's just now coming to fruition. I am a total sucker for Lucas and Haley so that's obviously what I had to write. **

**Dedicated to Rachael who claims to love whatever I write - so here's testing that theory. **

**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing and seek to make no profits. **

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_I'll get it if you need it,  
I'll search if you can't see it,  
You're thirsty, I'll be your rain,  
You get hurt, I'll take your pain,  
I know you don't believe it,  
But I said it and I still mean it,  
When you heard what I told you,  
When you get worried,  
I'll be your soldier  
_-Gavin DeGraw_;  
_

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The thundering staccato of his tiny bare feet on the wood floor broke through the smashing of metal and glass, through the thickness of her bedroom door and straight into her heart. There was fear in every footfall as he threw open the door and dived under the cover beside her, turning his head into her side and letting a few, small, hot tears wet the fabric of her nightshirt. She curls her arms around his tiny body and kisses his head over and over as she fights back tears of her own. "It's going to be okay," she promises. "We're going to be fine."

"Mama," he whimpers against her. "I want Uncle Lucas."

She knows, then in that very moment, that the time has come to leave. Jamie is paying the price for her stubbornness and Nathan's anger and she can't sit idly by as her baby carries their pain on his so tiny shoulders. "Go get your shoes on, bud."

"We're leaving," he asks quietly.

"We're leaving," she promises. "Go get dressed and I will be there in a minute to help you get some stuff together to take to Uncle Luke's, okay?"

"Okay, mama," he agrees and slides off the bed.

She watches him sprint out of the room with more spring in his step than she has seen in four months. Then it's her turn; she climbs out of the bed she barely got to share with her husband after their return to Tree Hill. She grabs a suitcase from the closet and rifles through her drawers, pulling enough clothes out for several days away from home – long enough for her to get her head together and figure out what to do. She throws the books she needs for work into her bag and throws them both of her shoulder as she slips down the hallway to her son's room. Jamie is sat on his bed, trying to tie his Converse – the ones Lucas bought him for his birthday. There is a small pile of coloring books, storybooks, and toys sat next to him on the bed; just the bare essentials, he has a whole stockpile at Luke's house too.

"Hey Jimmy-jam," she greets him as she kneels by the bed to take over shoe-tying duties. "What did you pick out here?"

"This is the coloring book that Uncle Luke and I have been working in," he tells her. "And that's the book you and me are reading. And I can't leave without my dinosaurs."

"Good reasons," she tells him and kisses his nose. "Want to help me pick out some clothes?"

"Yes mama," he mumbled through a yawn. He clamored down from his bed and crossed the room to open his dresser drawers; lazily he pulled out several of his favorite shirts and several pairs of pants. "Here go Mama."

"Thank you," she told him and pressed a kiss to his head. "You need some underpants and socks."

"Up there," he told her, lazily pointing at the top drawer – exhaustion causing him to fade quickly. "Please don't forget my cape, mama."

"I won't," she promised as she dropped another kiss to the top of his head. "I love you, Jamie."

"I love you, too, mama."

She zipped up his suitcase and shoved the toys and books into his book bag before ushering him down the stairs. Nathan had apparently finished his rampage and was flopped across the couch with a bottle of bourbon dangling from his finger tips. Haley sighed and knelt down to Jamie's level and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Jamie, buddy, can you go wait for mommy in the car?"

"Yes ma'am." Jamie gave a sad look at his father, offering a small wave as he turned on his heel and escaped out the front door. "Bye daddy."

"We're going to go stay with Lucas," Haley explained as she stuffed her keys into her purse. "I just… need a couple days."

"To play house with my brother," he slurred. "I ain't Dan, Hales."

"Then stop acting like him, Nathan," she fired back and turned on her heel, grabbing her luggage and heading out to the car where her son was waiting.

The ride to Lucas' was filled with the quiet hum of the radio and the thump of Jamie's sneakers against the bottom of his car seat as he attempted to keep himself awake. Haley sang along with the radio softly as she turned onto Luke's street and the thumping of Jamie's feet came to a stop – of course he would fall when she was almost there. She parked in front of the house where she had spent at least half her childhood.

Rain was starting to fall as she got out of the car and opened the door behind her, she unlatched Jamie's seat and lifted him into her arms. She clung to him in the way children do with complete faith and trust, curling his body into hers. She kissed the shell of his ear as she climbed the slight hill to the porch where she used to sit and talk with her best friend for hours on end. She knocked gently and watched as the bedroom light turned on and the soft familiar footfall before the door opened. Lucas stood before her with sweatpants slipping low on his hips and a tired hand running over his face. "Haley?"

"He just… And I…" Words so suddenly failed her. "Jamie asked for you and we just… we can't stay with Nathan anymore, Luke. Jamie is starting to pay the price for his actions and I won't sit around and watch my husband turn into the one person I truly hate on this planet."

"Come in," he told her as he stepped to one side.

She walked into the bedroom where she had crashed so many nights from the age of eight on and let out a shivering sob. Jamie was so heavy in her arms and she was so tired of carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. She bowed her head into her sons neck and tried so valiantly to fight it all back. "Luke…"

"Give him to me, Hales," Lucas ordered gently and lifted the four year old from her. She watched through her teary eyes as her best friend tucked his nephew into the bed, pulling the blankets up to his jaw and dropping a kiss to his forehead. "Sleep sweet, J-Luke."

"Lucas," she started once more as he turned to face her.

"C'mere," he instructed and took her hand in his, pulling her into his arms. She collapsed into him and let loose of everything she had been holding so tightly inside; her sobs barely muffled by his shoulder, he rocked her back and forth as she cried. "I've got you, Haley. I have you."

Haley curled her fingers at his shoulders, her nails digging into his shoulder blade as he kept the gentle rocking pace as he ran his hand over her back with the other curled into her hair. She let out every ounce of fear and pain that she had been bottling up since Lucas had called her from the hospital telling her that Nathan was injured, that he couldn't feel anything from his legs on down . She let Lucas tip her back on the bed, lay her down beside Jamie as he wrapped his arms around her. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck as she tried to control her breathing. "Thank you."

"Shh," he whispered in her ear. "You never have to thank me for taking care of you, Haley James Scott."

"Can Jamie and I stay with you for a few days," she whispered as she rearranged herself so that her ear was over his heart, the comforting beat thumping against her. "I need some time to figure out what needs to be done – some distance from Nathan."

"Of course," he promised. "You can stay as long as you need."

"I don't tell you enough," she breathed. "But I really do love you a whole helluva lot, Lucas Scott."

"I love you, too, Hales," he replied as he kissed her head while her eyes fluttered close and she gave into the pull of sleep.

Morning dawned on the sleeping trio and James Lucas Scott sat up in his uncle's bed to rub the sleep from his eyes. His head turned toward his mother and uncle, smiling when he saw them entwined with one another and his mother looking far more rested than she had in a long time – since before his daddy had gotten hurt. His stomach grumbled and he wondered what Uncle Lucas had to eat but his mama always told him that he wasn't allowed to cook for himself, not until he was old enough to see all the burners on the stove. "Mama," he asked and poked her side. "Mama, I'm hungry."

Haley didn't move in response, fully ensconced in sleep.

Jamie's brow furrowed and he stood on the bed, bouncing lightly as he watched the sleeping adults. When the light bouncing failed to wake them, he began to leap on the bed like a full-blown monkey. He watched with glee as his uncle started to come to consciousness. "Uncle Lucas finally you woke up!"

"Hey buddy," Lucas mumbled with a sleep roughened voice. "Can you stop the jumping?"

"Sure," Jamie told him and finished with a leap onto the grown man's abdomen. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Luke laughed as he roughed up his nephew's hair. "Why were you jumping?"

"I'm hungry and nobody was awake and mama says I can't cook for myself," Jamie explained. "Can I please have something to eat?"

"Let's go scavenge for food," Luke decided and scooped the four year old up, tossing him over his shoulder as he held onto his ankles. "Let your mama sleep, okay? You guys had a rough night and she needs her rest."

"She does," Jamie agreed through a fit of giggles. "She hasn't been sleeping good with daddy being all mean."

"Do you want to tell me what happened last night," he asked as he plopped the little boy on the counter and began to pull the ingredients out for pancakes.

"Daddy was drinking," Jamie explained with a shrug. "When mama and I got home he was on the couch all drinked."

"Drunk," Lucas corrected gently.

"Drunk," Jamie agreed. "Mama sent me upstairs but I heard them arguing and, Uncle Luke, he was being real mean to my mama – not saying nice stuff at all. When mama and I went upstairs for bed, Daddy started throwing stuff. It was scary. I asked mama if we could come stay with you and that's how we ended up here."

"I'm sorry daddy was mean, bud," Luke told him as he dropped a kiss to the crown of his head. "He's got some stuff that he's dealing with but that doesn't excuse him acting like a jerk but it might mean he takes awhile to figure out he's acting like a jerk. Understand?"

"Kinda," Jamie replied with a shrug. "I miss my daddy, Uncle Luke."

"We all do," Lucas promised. "You do know that daddy loves you though, right?"

"I guess," Jamie shrugged. "Not like you and mama love me. Or Uncle Skills and Junk and Fergie. But I guess daddy loves me the best he can right now."

"I love you a lot," Lucas told him while mentally vowing to have some serious words with his little brother. "Do you know how much?"

Jamie held both his arms out in full extension. "This much?"

"Way more than that," he told him as he looked him in the eye. "I mean, if I had to measure it in distance, I would probably say that my love for you reaches from right here in Tree Hill to where Aunt Karen and Lily are in Ireland."

"Whoa," Jamie gasped. "That's a lot, Uncle Luke."

"Indeed," he said with a solemn nod.

Jamie flung his arms around his uncle's neck. "I love you that much and more, Uncle Luke."

"I'm glad," he said with a chuckle. "Want to help me make your mama some pancakes?"

"Duh," Jamie replied.

When Haley emerged from the bedroom a half hour later; the boys had completely destroyed the kitchen with flour everywhere on their persons and a pile of semi-descent pancakes swimming on a plate of syrup. She leaned against the door frame and watched as Lucas gave Jamie war stripes of pancake batter and Jamie left a pancake batter handprint on the man's chest that caused him to laugh as he sprinkled sugar in Jamie's already sticky blond hair. "Boys," she chastised as she walked across the kitchen. "Don't you know that you're supposed to eat your food and not play with it?"

"Aw, Hales, c'mon," Lucas goaded. "You know that you want in on this fun."

"Yeah mama," Jamie added. "Don't you want to play too?"

"Want to see fun," Haley asked her son who nodded vehemently. She grabbed the package of flour and dumped it over Lucas' head as Jamie roared with laughter. "War has been declared, Lucas Scott."

"You're dead," Lucas deadpanned as he grabbed the hose attached to the sink and turned it on, aiming the spray at his best friend. "Get her, Jamie!"

"No," Haley cried through her laughter. "You're on my side, right?"

"War," Jamie let out the battle cry as he slung handfuls of batter at the both of them as he leapt from the counter and slid across the floor to take refuge under the kitchen table.

When the flour plumes had settled, the trio were collapsed on the kitchen floor with syrup, batter, and flour caked persons. Haley and Lucas were laying parallel to each other with Jamie flopped across both their stomachs, idly tracing shapes in the pile of flour on the floor. Haley's stomach rumbled embarrassingly loud and she cleared her throat, blushing. "Why don't you boys go get in the shower and I will start cleaning this mess up."

"We started it," Lucas countered. "I'll clean up."

"No," Jamie protested. "I want Uncle Luke's help."

"Go Lucas." Haley shoved him as she stood up. "Jamie wants his Uncle Lucas to help him get cleaned up. You boys get your showers taken while I cleaned and then I'll take a shower while you boys run to get breakfast in town because I am starving."

"Yes ma'am," Lucas relented as he scooped his nephew up and carted him toward the bathroom.

Jamie emerged from the bathroom first, completely clean and dressed in a white t-shirt and khaki shorts, his red cape fastened around his neck. Haley smirked when she saw that Lucas had spiked the front of his hair so that he matched his favorite Uncle. "How do I look, mama?"

"Like a mini Luke," she told him with a grin. "Is Uncle Lucas finished?"

"Uh-huh," he nodded as he hopped on the couch and grabbed the remote.

"Thanks buddy," she told him and kissed his head. She ducked into the bedroom and grabbed a pair of jeans and a plaid blouse from her suitcase before making her way to the bathroom. Unthinkingly, she threw open the door to find her best friend standing wrapped in a towel with his razor in one hand. "Oh," she exclaimed. "Sorry, Jamie said you were done."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Just, just, a towel." She hated herself for the way her eyes raked over his taught, damp muscles. It had been way too long since she had gotten any kind of relief in that department but staring at her best friend, her brother-in-law, was just weird. "I'm gonna… I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing," Luke told her as he washed the remnants of shaving cream off his face. "The bathroom is yours, Hales." He slipped past her, his upper pectorals brushing against her back as he slipped past her into the bedroom.

When she emerged from the bathroom nearly forty-five minutes later, she heard laughter coming from the living room. She glanced at herself in the mirror and took a steadying breath, shaking off the image of Lucas in his towel. She ran a hand through her damp hair and followed the voices out to the living room. "Hey boys."

"Mama," Jamie greeted her as he jumped up from his place at the coffee table where he was eating a gooey cinnamon roll. He raced around the table and couch to throw himself into her arms. "We got breakfast- Uncle Luke bought us gooey cinna-rolls."

"That sounds yummy, little man," she told him. "Did you tell Uncle Luke 'thank you'?"

"He did," Lucas told her from his spot on the floor beside Jamie's spot. "We are watching Saturday morning cartoons – you're welcome to join us."

"That sounds perfect," Haley replied with her first real, deep seated smile in ages.

Jamie squirmed in her arms and cupped her face in his tiny hands. "Mama, can we stay with Uncle Luke forever?"

"I don't know," she told him as her insides twisted. "We can definitely stay for now though."

"Good enough," Jamie replied. "For now."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for the reviews. I know that Laley isn't everyone's cup of tea and I respect your decision not to read if that's your choice. That said, I'll be trying to be as respectful to Nathan and Haley's relationship as possible. **

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The opening sequence for Finding Nemo played for the second time when Haley opened her eyes to find the living room cloaked in early evening darkness. Jamie sat on the floor by her feet, hunched over the coffee table as he drew another picture while the movie played. Lucas' chest moved gently beneath her to the breathing of his lungs, his arm draped over her and his feet plopped on the coffee table as he dozed. Jamie glanced over at her and smiled. "Hi mama!"

"Hi buddy," she greeted him as she extracted herself from Luke's embrace. She leaned over and kissed his spiky blond hair, pausing to breathe in the smell that was uniquely little boy – the scent of green apple 3-in-1 soap, dirt, and grass. "Did we fall asleep on you?"

"Yeah," he explained as he shoved his blue crayon back in the box. "It's okay – I was just drawin' and Uncle Luke said you needed a nap."

"Uncle Luke takes good care of us," she explained as she pulled him onto her lap. He curled back into her as she settled on the couch; Jamie had never played favorites with his parents but the last few months had left him glued to his mama's side. "You okay, little man?"

"I miss daddy," he whispered. The way his tiny voice broke on the words shattered Haley's heart and all she could do was clutch him to his chest, pepper the top of his head with kisses. "I don't wanna go home or nothing," he was quick to amend. "I don't like daddy right now… I just miss him."

"Me too," she agreed. She missed Nathan more than words could say but she was afraid that the Nathan she had fallen in love with was no longer in him, lost to a shard of glass. And, if her Nathan was still in there, she was so far from fine with the crap he had pulled – it would be a long journey back up, if they ever even got there. "I'm sorry it has to be this way."

"It's okay," Jamie promised. "I miss daddy but I like stayin' with Uncle Luke." He sat back on her lap and looked at her. "Do you think we can go to the River Court before dinner?"

"You'll have to ask Uncle Luke but it is fine with me."

Haley watched as Jamie quickly clamored off her lap and onto the sleeping Lucas; the little boy was gentle as he tried to pull his uncle from his slumber. First, Jamie poked Lucas in the ribs but when that garnered no response he upped his assault. Jamie pulled Lucas' eye lids up carefully. "Uncle Lucas."

"Try tickling him," Haley suggested with a smirk.

Just as Jamie went to tickle him, Lucas tackled him carefully to the floor in front of the couch as he let loose a tickling assault that had the little boy squirming as he laughed loudly, writhing about the floor as he gasped for breath. "Uncle Lucas," he scowled as Lucas tickled him some more. "This is not funny."

"Oh," Lucas asked. "I think it's hilarious."

"Mama," Jamie whined. "Help me."

Haley gave her little boy an exaggerated wink as she sprung forward, tickling her best friend just beneath his ribs and he rolled off her son in an attempt to get away from her. She pinned him to the floor and attacked all his weak spots, every little piece of Lucas knowledge she had picked up over the years coming into play as she laughed wildly. Lucas wasn't sitting idly by while his best friend unleashed her fury; he managed to his fingers to the back of her knee and watched as she screamed in laughter. "Lucas," she punched his shoulder. "Not fair."

"So fair, Haley Bob," he countered as he grabbed a pillow off the couch and whacked her over the head with it.

"You are so dead," Haley informed him as she jumped up and grabbed a pillow of her own. "It is on, Lucas Eugene."

"Eugene," Jamie asked as he doubled over in a fit of laughter. The two adults shared a look before whacking the little boy playfully with their pillows. "Not fair," he cried. "I need a pillow."

The war waged on as Jamie managed to snag a pillow from the chair in the corner; they danced around the living room in faux fencing maneuvers as the pillows were flung. After awhile they collapsed on the floor in front of the TV; Jamie was perched on Haley's stomach while digging his toes into Lucas' ribs as the writer lay parallel to his best friend. Haley's cell phone ringing caused her to get up with a sigh as she dropped her son on his uncle; the phone was on the end table and she snatched it, frowning when she saw it was her husband. She held the phone up so Lucas could see the caller and then escaped out to the front porch while he distracted Jamie.

"What do you want, Nathan," she asked as she perched on the porch swing. Running her fingers through her hair, she worked out the tangles that her curls had turned into between the napping and roughhousing.

"When are you coming home?"

She sighed in frustration as she curled her feet under her. "I told you that we were leaving for a few days – I need a break, Nate."

"Does that break have to include living with my brother," he asked.

"I thought you stopped being jealous of Lucas when we got married," she growled. "He's my best friend, Nathan, and your son's uncle. We're here because we need a place to stay while you and I figure some stuff out – not because I decided to screw your brother because your back is broke."

"Come home." His voice was so broken and she wanted to give in, she wanted to go back to the comfort of home – to Nathan and everything she knew. "I know I was a jackass but please just come home."

"Nathan, I come home and we may not survive this," she whispered as tears pooled in her eyes. "We're just… toxic right now. You've got to get better, Nathan – not for me, not for our marriage, but for Jamie because another night like last night might break your relationship with him beyond repair. He was terrified, Nathan. He crawled into bed with me and cried because he was scared."

"I'll work on it," Nathan promised. "Please-"

"Don't ask me to come home again," Haley instructed him. "Just get better and stay sober then we can revisit the topic, okay?"

"Yeah."

"I'll bring Jamie to see you for a little bit on Monday," Haley explained. "We just need time, Nate."

"I'll see you Monday."

She hung up the phone and curled into herself, letting the tears fall as her shoulders shook. She missed him – she really did, but she also wondered if she didn't miss the idea of him more. The last four months had tore them so far apart that she wasn't sure if either of the people that were once so in love still lived inside of them. She missed Nathan but she also missed Haley. She missed who she was before the accident and, whatever happened between the two of them, getting back to that person was more important – Jamie needed her to be that person. If they could just be the people that Jamie needed then maybe they could begin to talk about being Nathan and Haley again.

"Hales," Lucas voice was soft as he stepped onto the porch. "What did he do?" She listened to his footfall as he crossed the porch and wrapped himself around her, dropping kisses to the top of her head. "Jamie's getting his shoes on so we can go to the river court but if you're not up for it…"

"No." She shook her head and wiped her tears. "It has been way too long since I've been to the river court."

"Good," he said with a smile. "The guys miss you – I think they like you better than me."

"Only 'cause I smell better," she replied as she burrowed her head into his shoulder. "I miss that girl, Luke; the one that used to hang out with you and the guys at the court – the one who didn't have to worry about her husband's back and whether she's permanently scarred her child."

"Hey," he scolded as he pulled back from the embrace to cup her chin, lifting her face so she looked at him. "You are still that girl, Haley James Scott. She might have grown up but she's still inside you – I see her. And Jamie is not scarred for life, I promise. You're doing the right thing, Hales. Nathan needs to want to get better and until he does… You and Jamie need a chance to be happy."

"Thanks," she whispered as she flung herself forward. He caught her, just like he always had, and wrapped his arms around her tightly as she tucked herself under his chin. It was hard to remember but there had once been a time when Haley Scott was taller than him by a good three inches until he got his growth spurt during the summer between sixth and seventh grade – from then on, she had always fit so compactly under his chin where he could wrap himself around her to protect her from the world.

"Mama, Uncle Luke," Jamie cried as he flung the screen door open and emerged on the porch in his basketball shorts, t-shirt, and high tops. "Let's go!"

"You heard the boy," Haley said as she pulled away from the embrace with a sniffle. "Let's go!"

"To the river court," Lucas agreed as he scooped the little boy up and flopped him over his shoulder. Jamie laughed with glee as Lucas sprinted down the sidewalk and spun around in circles before putting him down to walk for himself.

"To the river court," Jamie echoed his uncle's battle cry as Haley joined them. Jamie ran ahead of the two adults who hung back, Lucas' arm around Haley's shoulders and her arm around his waist as the little man sprinted down the block.

"Wait at the stop sign," Haley hollered after him. She glanced up at Lucas who was smiling down at her and shook her head at the shivers that went down her spine – it was just the lack of physical contact for the last four months, that was all. "He looks like a tinier version of you on the day we met."

"You remember that day," Lucas asked as they caught up with Jamie at the stop sign.

"Of course I do," Haley told him. "My mom took us all to the park that day and my brother was playing you on the court and I remember being appalled that the jerkface would shove you on the ground like that."

"You were barely taller than J-Luke," he jumped in as Jamie took his hand and they crossed the street. "And you walked right up to him and punched him in the face."

"Even my mom told him he knew better and got what he deserved," Haley replied with a chuckle. "Didn't stop me from getting grounded but my dad was also pretty damn proud of my right hook so it didn't last for very long."

"And then your mom brought you to the café," Luke explained. "I'll never look on my mom's face when you figured out it was just the two of us and you looked her dead in the eye and told her that you came from a big family and we needed you more."

"Well ya kind of did," she filled in.

"You two have been friends for a long time," Jamie concluded. "And now we're at the park so let's go play some ball!"

"You are way too sassy for four," Haley informed him as she ruffled his hair. "Go on, little man."

Jamie took off across the grass to where the court sat against the river, calling out for his surrogate uncles as he raced toward them. Skills caught him first and scooped him up, getting a big hug from his favorite kid in his life. Haley smiled and leaned against Luke as they crossed the lawn to catch up with the group. Skills smiled at her and shook his head. "Well if it ain't the famous Haley James Scott finally gracing the river court with her presence once again."

"Shut up," she ordered as she shoved his shoulder.

"In all seriousness," he asked as he handed Jamie off to Mouth. "You doin' okay Haley?"

"I'm fine," she promised but snaked her way into his arms for a hug anyway. "Nathan and I are taking a break from each other for awhile so the boy and I are staying with Lucas. And, you're right, it has been too damn long since I've been here. I've missed you guys."

"You guys can have Haley," Junk Moretti jumped in. "Fergie and I will take the kid."

"Oh like that's fair," Lucas grumbled. "Jamie is like three times better than Haley – at least."

"I can kick your ass," Haley reminded him. "And I've gotten slightly better at shooting since I was here last time."

"Jamie's miniature hoop doesn't count," Lucas told her and she flicked his ear. "Fine, we'll take Haley but you've got to handicap us a three pointer."

"Deal," Junk and Fergie spoke in unison.

"I hate you all," Haley informed them as she took her spot on the court guarding Jamie.

"Even me, mama," Jamie asked as he dribbled the ball with both hands in an attempt to keep it from bouncing away from him.

"Not you," she promised.

Jamie smirked then and ducked around her to create a messy layup that would have been perfect had he been a few years older and a little taller. "Good."

"You're rotten," Haley cried.

They played until the sun was low in the sky over Tree Hill and a chill was settling in. Jamie was tired and eagerly climbed onto his Uncle Luke's shoulders after saying goodbye and exchanging high fives with the guys. Haley was given hugs and ordered to bring her ass down to the court more often – they all missed her and, yes, she did smell a lot better than Lucas. She tucked her arm into Luke's as they walked through the twilight; the song of the cicadas filled the silence as Jamie moved from Luke's shoulders to his side where he quickly fell asleep in the safety of Uncle Lucas' embrace. Haley reached around Luke and played with his hair while he slept; her beautiful baby boy had stolen her heart the day he was born but it was in that moment that she was nearly bowled over by how much she loved him. "I wish he could stay like this forever."

"Me too," Luke agreed. "I wonder sometimes if I'm gonna blink and he'll be taller than me – I wonder if I'm teaching him all the right things, passing on the things that Keith taught me."

"You are a great uncle," Haley promised. "Keith would be so proud of you."

"Thank you," he whispered as he dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "You're an amazing mom, Haley, and I know it's hard right now but you really are doing what's best for him. I've saw more life in him today than I've seen in months."

"I know," she whispered. "I feel it inside me too. Like, even if it means things don't work out with Nathan, this is where I'm supposed to be. I need to be myself again."

"Welcome back, Hales. I've missed you." He dropped a kiss to the crown of her head and squeezed her tightly; she curled into his touch ever so slightly, letting herself get swept away in being taken care of – letting go of her worries for a moment.

"I've missed you, too, Luke. It's good to be back."


	3. Chapter 3

**Prepare yourself for a roller coaster because as fluffy as this chapter is (and the next will be) we are taking a sharp turn back to Angstville soon. That said! Request for Peyton, granted (and she's definitely not the antagonist, I promise). Please review and tell me what you'd like to see because as much as I am writing this for myself, I want you all to enjoy it just as much.**

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Early morning sunlight slipping through the space between his curtains pulled Lucas Scott from his slumber early on Sunday morning. He turned on his side and smiled at the sight of his best friend with the blankets pulled up to her nose and his pillow half pulled across her face; a glance at the alarm clock told him that it was still early but Jamie would be waking before too long and he wanted to get a jump on their day. Gently, he reached out and traced his finger over the bridge of her nose before poking the tip. "Hales," he crooned softly. "Haley, it's time to wake up."

"Go to hell," Haley ordered as she swatted at his hand. "I'm sleepin'."

"Come on, Hales." He kept his voice soft and gentle, knowing that it was best to gently ease her out of sleep than to force her to wake up quickly. He knew her exhaustion was due in part to stumbling into his room late the night before after Jamie had fallen asleep; she had curled up beside him, burrowing in just beneath his clavicle and crying at the pain she felt in her heart due to his idiot brother – he could honestly knock his brother out for the hell he'd put Haley and Jamie through. He sighed and shook away the thoughts before moving to run his fingers up and down the bare skin of her arm. "Haley, c'mon. James is going to wake up soon and I have a surprise planned that involves you being kind of coherent."

"Luke," she groaned and opened her eyes to glare at him. "Twenty more minutes, I beg of you. You're worse than Jamie on Christmas morning, I swear."

"Twenty minutes," he relented. "I'm going to go grab a shower and then your ass is getting out of this bed because we have-"

"Plans," she finished the sentence. "Let me be alone with the darkness while you wash the stink away, okay?"

"Fine," he gave in and pressed a kiss to her nose before throwing the blanket over her face. He clamored off the bed and stumbled to the dresser where he pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before making his way to the bathroom.

Haley let out a low sigh as she heard the shower turn on; her muscles relaxed as she sunk into the bed, pulling the pillow back over her face so she could be alone with her thoughts. It wasn't that she didn't want to get out of bed and go adventuring with Jamie and Lucas but it was just that her thoughts were overwhelming her and she just needed a minute to think. Things seemed to be moving at warp speed; she'd left Nathan less than forty-eight hours ago but it felt like whole other life, she had to fight the urge to jump her best friend's bones every time he looked at her funny and it was so damn frustrating because she hadn't asked for any of it. She just wanted her life back; she felt like Dorothy in Oz, she wanted to click her ruby red slippers together and go home already, back to normal.

So transfixed by her thoughts, she barely registered the sound of the door clicking before she felt a heavy weight on her abdomen and legs on either side of her hips. She threw back the blankets with a scream but stopped short when she recognized the brunette perched on her lap. She narrowed her gaze and smirked. "Brooke!"

"Sorry," Brooke replied with a cringe. "I thought you would be Broody-" Haley smirked at the high school nickname. "Wait! What are you doing in Broody's bed instead of your own, Tutor Wife?"

"Oh," Haley whispered. She was suddenly very aware of how her current living situation looked and cringed, running a hand through her hair as she shrugged at Brooke. "Nathan and I are… Taking a break, I guess is the right way to word it."

"The accident," Brooke guessed.

"Yeah," she agreed. "It has turned him into… Dan is probably the closest approximation. He's so stuck over the idea that he may never play basketball again that he isn't even trying to walk or do anything besides sulk and drink. When Jamie was crawling into bed with me because he was afraid of daddy… We've been crashing here for the past couple nights."

"I'm sorry," the brunette offered as she pulled Haley into a hug. "I've missed you guys."

"We've missed you, too," Haley promised. "What are you doing in Tree Hill anyway? Didn't I just see you out on the town with one of the Nicks?"

"Ugh," Brooke groaned. "I hate tabloids… And Victoria. I'm home because, well, Peyton called me and we both realized that we were pretty damn homesick."

"Peyton's back too?"

The door to the bedroom opened and Lucas stood in the doorway with a towel wrapped around his waist and another draped around his shoulders. He cocked an eyebrow at the pair before smirking. "I can't say this wasn't in my top twelve fantasies in high school."

"You are so disgusting," Haley told him as she chucked a pillow at his head. "Pervert."

"Luke," Brooke squealed as she bounded off the bed and into his arms – any awkwardness at all with her ex-boyfriend forgotten for the sake of friendship. "I hear we're going to have to kick Nate's ass – you can be my wingman."

"Bullshit. You can be mine," he told her.

Brooke furrowed her brow. "What?"

"He's quoting Top Gun," Haley explained as she climbed out of bed and crossed the room to the two of them. "Hate to break it you, Goose, but you're no Maverick."

"Way to wound me, Charlie," he fired back and she fought of a shiver down her spine as he compared her to the heroine of a favored 80s movie. "Do you really want me to be Goose, Hales? He dies."

"That is true," she sighed. "I guess you'll make a decent Maverick until we can come up with a better title."

"Well kick the tires and light the fires," he told her with a god awful twang.

"Goodness gracious great balls of fire," she fired back with a grin; she backhanded his bare shoulder before moving to dig into her bag for clothes. "I am going to grab a shower before Jamie wakes up – Brooke, if you're not here when I get back, I am really glad you're home."

"Me too," Brooke promised. "We'll catch up later."

Haley nodded and offered a half-hearted smile before moving for the doorway; Luke caught her wrist and made her pause for a moment, he checked her gaze to make sure she was okay and she offered him a real smile in return before he let her go. Lucas turned back to his ex-girlfriend and offered her a smile. "Hi Brooke."

"That was awfully domestic with your sister-in-law, buddy," she told him as she flopped down on his bed. "You got something to share?"

"There is nothing going on with me and Hales," he told her as he grabbed the clothes he had pulled out earlier and began to pull them on under his towel to avoid giving Brooke a free show. "She and Nate are having a hard time so she's crashing here while I try to talk her into letting me kick his ass."

"Seriously," Brooke sat up once Luke pulled his shirt on. "How bad is it?"

"Jamie said that Nathan was drunk and throwing liquor bottles, breaking things, after fighting with Haley where he heard his dad call his mom some pretty not nice things," Luke explained. "I think Nate's ego took a huge bruise with this one and – I don't know, I've been watching Haley disappear for the last four months. She doesn't smile like she used to, she doesn't laugh. If staying here helps put that back then she can stay as long as she needs."

"You're a good man," Brooke told him. "Keith would be really proud of you."

"Thanks," he replied as he heard little feet tumbling down the stairs from his mother's room. "J-Luke, walk please."

"Morning Uncle Lucas," Jamie said as he stepped into the bedroom rubbing at his eyes. He was wear a pair of Batman pajama pants with one leg rolled up to his knee and the other dragging on the floor; he paid little mind to Brooke before making a bee-line for his uncle. "Who's that?"

"That is your Aunt Brooke," Lucas explained with a laugh. "Remember how Uncle Lucas is also your godfather?"

"Uh huh." Jamie yawned and curled into Lucas' touch.

"Well mama and daddy made Aunt Brooke your godmother," he explained. "She's just been living in New York getting all famous while you, mama, daddy, and me have been all over the place before coming home to Tree Hill."

"Oh," he said. "Hi Aunt Brooke."

Brooke knelt in front of the boy and smiled at him. "Hey there, little man. How are you?"

"Good," Jamie spoke softly. "Why are you here?"

"Well," Brooke told him with a grin. "I heard that a godson of mine was staying with his Uncle Lucas and I couldn't wait to see him."

"Cool," he decided. "But Uncle Lucas said last night that we were doing something special today so maybe you and I can hang out some other time."

Brooke and Lucas shared a laugh. Lucas tickled his nephew's sides and threw him back on his bed playfully. "Is that how we talk to ladies, J-Luke?"

"No," Jamie guessed.

"No," Luke agreed. "We do have plans today but maybe we could invite Aunt Brooke along."

"That's okay," Brooke promised. "I've actually got plans with Aunt Peyton today so I will take you up on that rain check, Jamie."

"Who is Aunt Peyton?"

"Uh… She's a friend of Uncle Luke's and everybody else too. Kind of like Uncle Skills," Luke explained. "Tell Aunt Brooke bye and that you'll see her later, okay?"

"Bye Aunt Brooke," Jamie waved from the bed. "Nice meetin' ya and we'll hang out soon. You can meet my bunny – his name is Chester and he has big floppy ears."

"Sounds good," Brooke told him and leaned over the bed to kiss his forehead. "Bye Luke."

"Bye Brooke."

Lucas flopped down beside Jamie after the door closed behind his high school love; he tucked an arm around Jamie and pulled him close as they lay in companionable silence. Ever since he was born, Jamie had been partial to his Uncle Lucas – they were kindred spirits, happiest in proximity of one another. The fair-haired little boy's favorite story was the one about how, when the grown-ups had been in college, Jamie had developed bronchitis and cried constantly for almost two days while Uncle Lucas was away at a meeting with his publisher but when he'd gotten home, he'd taken the little boy in his arms and Jamie had settled instantly. The little boy turned on his side and poked his uncle's chin. "What are we doing today, Uncle Lucas?"

"We are going to go on a little trip today," Lucas explained. "When I was a little bigger than you, I went on a trip kind of like the one we're going on today; my mom and your great Uncle Keith wanted to do something special for my birthday but we didn't have a lot of money back then so they strapped me in my seat in the middle of Uncle Keith's tow truck and we started driving – just the three of us."

"Where did you go?"

"Not very far," Luke promised. "Mostly we drove the back roads of Tree Hill just the three of us and then, something magical happened-"

"What," Jamie asked. "What happened?"

"Uncle Keith," Luke explained. "He pulled over to the side of the road and unfastened me from my seat – just like the one you sit in – and put me on his lap so I could drive for the very first time."

"Whoa," he gasped. "You got to drive!?"

"Yeah," Luke nodded. "Cool, huh?"

"So cool," Jamie agreed. "Can I drive today?"

"If your mama says it is okay."

Haley stood in the doorway then. "If mama says what's okay?"

"We're going driving," Jamie explained. "Uncle Luke was tellin' me how Great Uncle Keith let him drive when he was my age and he said if you say it's okay then I can too!"

"Hmmm," Haley hummed as she scrunched her drying hair. "Well…" She looked back and forth between her boys who looked at her with pleading eyes; she knew how important it was to Lucas to pass on things that Keith had shared with him. "I guess."

"Yes!" Jamie flew off the bed and into her arms. "Thanks, mama." He wiggled out of the embrace and took off for the stairs. "I'm gonna get dressed and then driving!"

"Thank you, Hales." Luke reached out and caught her hand so that she looked at him. "The first time Keith let me drive, it was my fifth birthday and I remember feeling like I was the king of the world sitting on his lap in the tow truck with his hands barely guiding mine. And I looked over at my mom and she had this… big grin on her face – I think she was just so happy that I was having a normal moment, a father and son moment that she was just as elated as I was."

"He should have that," Haley agreed. "Thank you for loving my son so much, Lucas Scott."

"You say it like it's something hard to do," Luke told her. "I've loved him from the moment you told me that he existed and that'll never change."

"It's nice to have that stability," she explained as she wrapped him in a halfhearted hug. "So are we driving some place particular or are we driving just to drive?"

"A little of both," Luke explained. "My mom and Andy are docking in Wilmington this afternoon and I thought we could meet up with them but, other than that, we're just driving."

"Oh good," Haley whispered. "I've missed Karen and Jamie has missed Lily."

"I know," Luke agreed. "I haven't told the little man yet because I want to surprise him."

"My lips are sealed," Haley promised.

"I'm ready," Jamie yelled as he raced into the room. "Let's go! This is gonna be the bestest day ever!"

Luke looked at Haley and grinned. "You heard the boy, Hales. Grab your shoes because we're off for the bestest day ever."


End file.
